Product Code Database
HDCAM is a high-definition video digital recording videocassette version of Betacam introduced in 1997 that uses an 8-bit discrete cosine transform (DCT) compressed recording, in 1080i-compatible down-sampled resolution of , and adding 24p and 23.976 progressive segmented frame (PsF) modes to later models. The HDCAM codec uses rectangular pixels and as such the recorded content is upsampled to on playback. The recorded video bit rate is . Audio is also similar, with four channels of AES3 20-bit, digital audio. Like Betacam, HDCAM tapes were produced in small and large cassette sizes; the small cassette uses the same form factor as the original Betamax. The main competitor to HDCAM was the DVCPRO HD format offered by Panasonic, which uses a similar compression scheme and bit rates ranging from 40 to depending on frame rate.
HDCAM is standardized as SMPTE 367M, also known as SMPTE D-11. Like most videotape formats, HDCAM is no longer in widespread use, having been superseded by memory cards, disk-based recording formats, and SSDs. Despite its decline in usage, Sony still manufactures new HDCAM tape stock as of 2025.
HDCAM SR was used commonly for HDTV television production. In the mid-2000s, many prime-time network television shows used HDCAM SR as a master recording medium, Mentions HDCAM SR to be the only acceptable delivery format. but it is no longer in widespread use. HDCAM SR storage media production was paused for five months after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami damaged the only Sony factory producing it, which triggered some migration away from the format. Production of HDCAM SR media ceased in 2023.
Some HDCAM VTRs play back older Betacam variants, for example the Sony SRW-5500 HDCAM SR recorder plays back and records HDCAM and HDCAM SR tapes, and with optional hardware also plays and upconverts Digital Betacam tapes to HD format. Tape lengths are the same as for Digital Betacam, up to 40 minutes for S and 124 minutes for L tapes. In 24p mode the runtime increases to 50 and 155 minutes, respectively.
HDCAM tapes are black with an orange lid, and HDCAM SR tapes black with a cyan lid.
mode is known as '''SQ''', and mode is known as '''HQ'''.
Sony also announced a higher compression mode called SR Lite.HDCAM SR Press Conference "Power Of Images" As with the 440 and 880 mode, SR Lite utilizes the MPEG-4 Part 2 Simple Studio Profile but decreases the bit rate to 220 Mbit/s for 60i and for 50i. SR Lite is locked at 4:2:2 color sampling but still maintains 10 bit pixel depth. It also allows for 50 and 60p at the cost of a doubled data rate (440 Mbit/s for 60p).
The Sony SRW-5800 HDCAM SR VTR has the ability to record both the left eye and right eye of 3D content to a single tape. It syncs the two eyes together and takes up twice as much space on the tape as a normal recording. Other HDSR decks also support 3D such as the SRW-1 HDCAM SR Portable VTR and the SRW-5500/5000 which can play back either channel A or channel B of the Dual Stream 4:2:2 recording.
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